Sydney’s The Basement has been bought by Albert Dadon

Less than a month after the sudden closure of The Basement in Sydney, it has been announced the venue will live on with a new owner.

Earlier this month after 45 years of live music, it was announced that The Basement club would close it’s doors. In the same announcement the owners stated they were looking for a new space to host the famous venue.

The Basement first opened it’s doors in 1972 and has gone through one change of space before. One of the longest running live music venues in Sydney it has hosted jazz royalty as well as the Australian Music Prize.

Last week saw protests outside NSW parliament over the closure, where people gathered with disco balls to show support for the venue. It has been announced that Melbourne based musician and entrepreneur Albert Dadon has acquired the business and it’s assets.

Dadon is the owner of Bird’s Basement in Melbourne and has released 11 albums of solo material. He alsoperforms frequently at the Melbourne venue. Alongside this, Dadon was instrumental in keeping the Melbourne Jazz Festival running when it’s funding was cut. He has also established the Australian Jazz Bell awards.

More than qualified for the job, Dadon is confident in the future of a new and improved venue.

What is next for The Basement?

A press release specified that Dadon was now working on finding a suitable new space for the venue. The new owner added “I hope that with the help of those who are committed to retain and reinvigorate Sydney’s music scene we will find an ideal new location of The Basement.”

On the closure of the current space, Dadon said “I was saddened to see The Basement close its doors. It was a loss to the cultural health of the city and Australia.”

In the hopes of finding the best space for the venue, Dadon has asked for suggestions from fans and the live jazz industry. Current plans include introducing fine dining to the club and finding a space near or connected to a hotel for international artists to stay at.

Whilst there is no news on when the iconic venue will re-open, Dadon is confident it will be soon. The new owner also stated he wants to focus on turning the space into a world class venue: “I would love to provide Sydneysiders with a wonderful 21st century experience, similar to what we created in Melbourne at Bird’s Basement.”

This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.